


Chocolate With Almonds

by erintoknow



Series: Aria [34]
Category: Fallen Hero Series - Malin Rydén, Fallen Hero: Rebirth (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic, F/F, POV Female Character, POV Second Person, Trans Character, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-23 14:23:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19703173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erintoknow/pseuds/erintoknow
Summary: Just a mundane trip to the grocery story with some small talk and acts of kindness.





	Chocolate With Almonds

“I can’t believe you talked me in to this.”

“I wasn’t that hard. I asked ‘hey, Ari, you want to come with me to the grocer?’ and you said ‘yeah, sure.’”

“Lies. Slander.”

Julia laughs and elbows you, “Sure, okay. Can you grab the box of cereal down there?”

You frown, scanning the collection of boxes. “You don’t mean the–“

“Yes, the box with the little cartoon me on it.”

You cover your eyes. “I can’t believe you seriously eat your own brand cereal.”

“Hey now,” Julia cuts in, defensive, “I just mentioned liking it in an interview once and then next thing I know there’s this guy in a three-piece suit standing outside my door. What was I going to say, ‘no thanks, I don’t want the money?’”

You grab the box from the shelf and put it in the cart Julia’s pushing. “It’s not that hard.” 

Julia nods in thanks and the two of you move down the aisle. “I’m still dying to know how you made ends meet back in the day. You refused every licensing deal that got offered to you after the surge.”

“I couldn’t join the Rangers, what makes you think I could sign a contract?” You don’t meet her eyes. That had always been a sore point with Steel, wanting to know where you got the money for your suit and tech. Thought you stole it. He’d be right of course, but it was still rude of him to think so. “It’s not like it stopped any of the bastards.”

“All the more reason that you should have signed on, you’d have at least gotten paid for it.” Julia raises her eyebrows at you.  
You cross your arms. “I got along just fine, thanks.”

“Uh-huh.” Julia smirks, clearly not buying it. “Who always cleaned out our snack stash every week, again?”

You glare at her silently. You’re not taking the bait. Nope, not doing it.

Mercifully she opts not to push the issue any further for the moment, instead switching tracks; “I think we’re about done, but anything in particular you want me to grab?”

You blink in surprise. “What?” Glance in her direction, try to see what expression is on her face. “Why? These are yours.”

Julia smiles, a quick upturn at the sides of her mouth “Well, you’re coming over often enough now I want to make sure I’ve got something for you.”

“Um….” You putter, stalling for time as you think. Another grocery shopper steps past you without a word going the opposite way down the aisle. Julia frowns at that. “I don’t really need anything, it’s not like I eat much anyway.” You don’t need the charity these days. There’s just always something more important to spend your money on then food.

Like, say, being a super villain, for starters.

Julia’s frown only deepens as she turns it to you. You nervously smile back. What did you say wrong now? “Are you doing okay?” She asks.  
You grit your teeth. “Can we have one interaction that doesn’t involve that question? Please?”

For a moment it looks like Julia’s going to press the issue, but then she lets her shoulders slump, sighs. “Alright. You’re right, I don’t want to do this in public. I just– I worry when you talk like that–“

“I’m retired, remember?” You cut her off, “I’m not going to– to faint from a sugar crash in the middle of fighting Ricky Davis again or whoever.”

“Razorback.”

You rub your nose, “Yeah, him. What ever happened to that guy?”

“Died a couple years back.” Julia answers, quiet.

“Oh.”

“Complications from injuries during the fight, I think I read. Couldn’t afford the prison’s healthcare.”

“Oh.” You bite your lip, running a hand through your hair, pulling at the tangled strands. It’s gotten bad enough it might be better just cut it short and start over. “I always kind of felt bad for the guy.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

———

In the check out line, there’s always an array of candy bars to tempt impulse buyers. You’ve never gotten out of a grocer without grabbing one.

“Chocolate with Almonds? Good choice,” Julia says from behind you and you freeze, guilty. “Get one for me too?” You pass along the one in your hand to her as she talks to the Cashier and grab a second for yourself. Julia looks back at you and glances at the bar in your hand. “Well? Pass that up here.”

“I can pay for my own candy, Julia.”

“I don’t mind.”

You sigh theatrically, and hand it over. You can’t let her catch on how you really feel about the gesture or she’ll abuse that power and you’ll be drowning in groceries.  
Still, when she hands it back after scanning you can’t stop the smile inching across your face. “Th-thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She smiles back. “Thanks for coming with me.”


End file.
